Shanhaijing : an exploration of how game characters design can present the heritage story for contemporary audiences : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Master in Design at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

The Shanhaijing, an ancient book of wonders from the pre-Qin era (before 221 B.C.), features a rich collection of monsters, ghosts, and gods constituting an entire world. This project aims to explore the fantastic creatures depicted in the Shanhaijing and present them to audiences through a video game character design. By examining their appearance, habitat, and role in other traditional Chinese mythologies, this project seeks to introduce these creatures to a contemporary audience by depicting them in a contemporary mystery RPG game platform. Through this research, I aim to demonstrate how illustration for contemporary game characters can engage a contemporary Chinese audience with their ancient cultural heritage.